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7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free: A Catholic Guide to Managing Your Money
Discover True Financial Freedom!
Packed with anecdotes and real life experiences, 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free offers a solid Catholic perspective on how to make the most of God's generous gifts. In addition to understanding the necessary nuts and bolts of financial management, budgeting, and investing, discover how your Catholic Faith can be the base of a sound financial future!
Author, financier, and life-long Catholic, Phil Lenahan weaves personal experiences with catechetical training and real financial counseling experience to provide clarity on some of the biggest issues facing you and your families
--Developing a closer relationship with the Lord
--Strengthening your marriage and family life
--Getting out of debt
--Paying for your children's education
--Managing your money more effectively
--Buying your own home
--Investing in your future
... and all the while, staying true to how God intended for you to manage His gifts.
7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free walks you through the Catholic teachings regarding wealth, being good stewards and trusting God's plan, and then launches you into solution after solution of managing your money effectively.
Here is how to take the gifts God has given you -- your skills, your education, your training, your income -- and using them as He intended. Here is how to not just get out of debt and begin saving, but to wisely and deliberately set budgeting priorities and achieve financial goals that reflect what you believe as a Catholic.
Don't forget the 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free Workbook (9781592762538), providing a step-by-step procedure guiding you from concept to reality. A "must have" supplement!
Start your journey to true financial freedom today!
Packed with anecdotes and real life experiences, 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free offers a solid Catholic perspective on how to make the most of God's generous gifts. In addition to understanding the necessary nuts and bolts of financial management, budgeting, and investing, discover how your Catholic Faith can be the base of a sound financial future!
Author, financier, and life-long Catholic, Phil Lenahan weaves personal experiences with catechetical training and real financial counseling experience to provide clarity on some of the biggest issues facing you and your families
--Developing a closer relationship with the Lord
--Strengthening your marriage and family life
--Getting out of debt
--Paying for your children's education
--Managing your money more effectively
--Buying your own home
--Investing in your future
... and all the while, staying true to how God intended for you to manage His gifts.
7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free walks you through the Catholic teachings regarding wealth, being good stewards and trusting God's plan, and then launches you into solution after solution of managing your money effectively.
Here is how to take the gifts God has given you -- your skills, your education, your training, your income -- and using them as He intended. Here is how to not just get out of debt and begin saving, but to wisely and deliberately set budgeting priorities and achieve financial goals that reflect what you believe as a Catholic.
Don't forget the 7 Steps to Becoming Financially Free Workbook (9781592762538), providing a step-by-step procedure guiding you from concept to reality. A "must have" supplement!
Start your journey to true financial freedom today!
172 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
4 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 29, 2012
Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) was GENEROUS enough to send me not just the book, but an entire kit to lead a small group session. The kit included the book, DVDs, a leader's guide, a workbook, etc. I was blown away by not only OSV's generosity, but the quality of this product. I have a small group study that I help lead now, and I know they would enjoy this as much as I did.
I don't have enough space or time to say enough good things about this book/kit, but I will do my best. Each chapter is well-laid out and in a logical order. It starts with us realizing that everything we own belongs to God and progresses from there. Chapters include finances with marriage, with kids, charitable giving, buying a house, getting off debt, saving, investing, etc. etc.
The advice is straightforward and backed up with Scripture references. The tasks to do at the end of each chapter are practical. The workbook supplements the book nicely. And the leader's guide (if you choose to buy the whole kit and lead a group) is immensely helpful and gives you great advice, not only on how to lead each session, but how to be a better small group leader overall.
On a side note, I had ambitions of writing a book with exactly this purpose in mind of personal finances from a Catholic perspective. After reading through this book and watching the DVDs, I can see my time is better spent elsewhere. Phil Lenahan does a masterful job of providing just such a product for Catholics (or any flavor Christian).
I wish I could give this book more than 5 out of 5 stars, but that's the highest rating possible. If your finances are a complete mess and you need to get them in order, buy this book or see if your Parish is offering this class and take it. If your finances just need some tweaking, or you need some practical advice, buy this book. I think anyone and everyone can and will find something beneficial from this book. It should definitely be on the bookshelf of every newly married couple too! Check out my other reviews at stuartsstudy.blogspot.com
I don't have enough space or time to say enough good things about this book/kit, but I will do my best. Each chapter is well-laid out and in a logical order. It starts with us realizing that everything we own belongs to God and progresses from there. Chapters include finances with marriage, with kids, charitable giving, buying a house, getting off debt, saving, investing, etc. etc.
The advice is straightforward and backed up with Scripture references. The tasks to do at the end of each chapter are practical. The workbook supplements the book nicely. And the leader's guide (if you choose to buy the whole kit and lead a group) is immensely helpful and gives you great advice, not only on how to lead each session, but how to be a better small group leader overall.
On a side note, I had ambitions of writing a book with exactly this purpose in mind of personal finances from a Catholic perspective. After reading through this book and watching the DVDs, I can see my time is better spent elsewhere. Phil Lenahan does a masterful job of providing just such a product for Catholics (or any flavor Christian).
I wish I could give this book more than 5 out of 5 stars, but that's the highest rating possible. If your finances are a complete mess and you need to get them in order, buy this book or see if your Parish is offering this class and take it. If your finances just need some tweaking, or you need some practical advice, buy this book. I think anyone and everyone can and will find something beneficial from this book. It should definitely be on the bookshelf of every newly married couple too! Check out my other reviews at stuartsstudy.blogspot.com
March 8, 2012
What separates this book from any number of financial advice books (I would assume, because I haven't read them) is that it focuses on the idea of stewardship rather than on wealth. There is a huge difference in the two. Stewardship recognizes that all we have is only on loan from God so that we can use it to glorify Him. Therefore, in wealth or in poverty, one can still be a good steward of the gifts entrusted to him. The entire first half of the book prepares your soul to be financially free with great examples of proper Catholic dispositions toward events, situations, etc.... The second half gets into the details.
I came away from this book recognizing that I don't necessarily need to make more money to provide for my family, but that I can simply be a much better steward of the money I already make; and that's a great start.
I highly recommend the book and the workbook.
I came away from this book recognizing that I don't necessarily need to make more money to provide for my family, but that I can simply be a much better steward of the money I already make; and that's a great start.
I highly recommend the book and the workbook.
October 28, 2011
Looking at my money in a Catholic way occurred to me but I didn't know where to start. When I saw Catholic Answers' shop had this book by their head finance guy, I jumped on the opportunity to get it. Phil Lenahan writes in such an eye opening but simple way that it completely changed my mindset when it comes to saving. I used to think. well, we're going to die eventually so what's the use of saving so much and not living for the moment? There are many a samples of saving throughout Scripture that Phil touches on. He also stresses the important of tithing, something I always did but never really took the time to understand why (besides the obvious reason.)
Great read if you want to know how to strengthen your faith while saving a buck or two!
Great read if you want to know how to strengthen your faith while saving a buck or two!
February 4, 2015
Each year, after I get my taxes done, I meet with the woman who is in charge of my investments in order to review the year's progress, and for financial advice on the coming year. I told her that my wife and I had been working to pay off the last of our debt, and that I had read Dave Ramsey's The Total Money Makeover and implemented the book's principles in our own financial life. She recommended this book, which is a kind of Catholic spin on personal finance philosophy. If you're looking for specifics and real life examples of debt reduction, Ramsey's book is a much better start. This book discusses Catholic philosophies of finance, which I enjoyed greatly, but it lacks some of the detail and explanation of The Total Money Makeover.
May 25, 2008
basic formula to become financially free with a Catholic tinge to the viewpoint. Two of the strong points of the book were it's emphasis on what stewardship means and how pursuing financial freedom can bring strength and unity to a relationship (married or engaged). Short book, worth the read.
December 24, 2011
Finished book along with workbook & 7 week class. As much about our Catholic faith & priorities and it was about mechanics of budgeting. Very good.
October 10, 2012
Very helpful and informative basic approach to personal finance. I especially liked the advice on saving and investing in a Godly way.
November 24, 2008
Incredible! I highly recommend this book and course if you have an opportunity to take it!
September 29, 2015
I honestly have to say that I have attempted to read this book multiple times, but I never made it all the way through. When I was younger, I felt that Phil Lenahan was too laid back, and so I gave up and went back to Dave Ramsey, even though I never liked Ramsey's theology. I was very plesantly surprised to connect with Lenahan's book this time around. I think being a little older, wiser, and more relaxed helps. I see his approach as a very balanced one, and that is the approach I find our family needing as we get older and more advanced in career and family mission.
October 27, 2015
Step by step guide that leads you through the ocean of details involved in home finances. A must read if you want your finances to mirror your Catholic faith.
November 22, 2017
This is a financial planning guide for Catholics. It helps you to determine the most important items in your life and then help you to plan for them.
February 20, 2018
Excellent financial advice. Branded for Catholics, but the majority of the book is applicable for everyone.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews